Asia Super Team, the first ever MEET TAIWAN international marketing event designed to promote Taiwan as a top destination for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE), is a project implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council entrusted by the Board of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The event targets businesses in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, which are Taiwan’s five major potential buyers of incentive travel, in addition to Mainland China. After a one month online preliminary contest, five four-member teams, one from each of the five countries, participated in a five-day-four-night competition tour during September 29 to October 3 in Taiwan. Destinations included Taipei, Yilan, and Kaohsiung where teambuilding contests skilfully tied in with Taiwan’s local cultures. Seng Hua Hng Food stuff from Singapore won the championship and an incentive travel package worth NT$1.5 million.

Industry elites from five Asian countries compete

The grand final took place at the Taipei International Convention Center, where the five finalist teams wereBun Corporation, a restaurant franchise company from Japan; Vingle, a Korea-based web innovation startup; Seng Hua Hing Foodstuff, a renowned Singaporean food manufacturer; Zhong Yi Group, a Chinese medicine chain store based in Malaysia; and Presley Consulting, an executive recruitment service company from Indonesia. As soon as the grand final and press conference began, each of the five teams tried their best to vividly prove why they should be declared Super Team Asia. With multimedia demonstrations, as well as dramatic and other stage performances, the deliberations took quite a while for the judging panel to decide which team was the very best.

As judges were discussing the merits of each team among themselves, Ms. Janet Hsieh, ambassador for Super Team in Asia and popular TV travel show host, arrived to emcee a Q&A challenge similar to the way she hosts her Fun Taiwan travel show and the Golden Brain quiz show. Finalists’ knowledge of MICE in Taiwan was tested, and the success of their Taiwan tour was evidenced by their correct, detailed, and prompt answers to the questions raised by Ms. Hsieh. The champion was finally decided based on a combination of online votes during the preliminary online contest, judging panel’s scoring, grand finalists’ creativity, and their Q&A challenge scores. Seng Hua Hng Food stuff from Singapore was declared the grand champion.

Contest competitors from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea overcame many teambuilding challenges planned for them in Taiwan when visiting the Taipei 101 skyscraper, the Leshui aboriginal tribe and National Center for Traditional Arts in Yilan, as well as Dai Tien Kung temple and Ten Drum Ciaotou Creative Park in Kaohsiung, where they enjoyed an open-air banquet and karaoke singing on a built-in, neon-lit stage of a platform cargo truck – an “electric flower car” unique to Taiwan. Each team member got a chance to make their own boxed lunches unique to aboriginal hunters and bows to practice archery; they learned how to paint and play gigantic spinning tops from a master spinner; they performed a drum-beating session under the guidance of the Grammy-nominated Ten Drum Art Percussion Group; plus they even sang Taiwanese pop songs, winning the hearts of local folks as well as their judges.

Contestants made use of the Taipei MRT and Taiwan High Speed Rail as part of their challenges to experience Taiwan’s superior transportation infrastructure, while a variety of itineraries helped them get a first-hand experience of well-established exhibition and meeting venues, as well as cultural and natural resources unique to each area. As a result, they were impressed to find that business meetings and incentive travel in Taiwan can be very creative and have many possibilities. After returning home, they will share what they experienced in Taiwan and encourage their colleagues to check out Taiwan for themselves.

MEET TAIWAN devises new MICE marketing model for Taiwan

While the chimneyless industry is being promoted by many countries, incentive travel can also bring in high numbers of travellers to effectively stimulate local economies. To strengthen business performance and innovation among employees, it is estimated that some companies invest an average of NT$75,000 per employee for meetings and incentive travel to enhance employee welfare. Recognizing the importance and potential of the MICE industry, the Taiwan Board of Foreign Trade authorized the Taiwan External Trade Development Council to promote Taiwan as an ideal MICE destination as part of a project in effect from 2003 through 2006.

Factoring in potential buyer’s needs and wants regarding incentive travel, Super Team Asia leverages teambuilding to convey the great variety and potential of MICE resources in Taiwan. In addition to MICE, Taiwan offers lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS) to potential buyers interested in adventure, delicacies, and cultural experiences. The two phases of Super Team Asia first provided the opportunity for contestant companies to systematically gather travel information, complete tour planning, and share their plans online. Finalists were then chosen to come to Taiwan take part in the final which was a competition tour. Their positive experience of Taiwan is expected to transform them into MICE ambassadors for Taiwan after they return home, bringing in more business opportunities for meeting and incentive travel to Taiwan.

For detailed information about Asia Super Team, please visit the website at www.asiasuperteam.com